For employees, the milestone highlights a period of growth while also presenting a chance to reflect on the firm’s early days, according to its leaders.

“It’s been a real honor to work with the dedicated men and women who continue to commit to the same values we created the company with,” said Jason Harrington, CEO of HB.

“As rewarding as the last 25 years have been, I truly believe that because of the quality of young leaders our company has, the next 25 years are going to give HB Construction an even greater opportunity to make an impact on our community” Harrington said.

Founded by Ken Harrington, HB started out with only three employees: Ken, his son Jason and Mike Brown. All three shared a small one-room office and worked side by side on job sites for the company’s first few years.

Flash forward to today where HB is nearing completion of the $35 million Bernalillo High School campus, the largest project in company history. The three-phase, 119,000-square-foot project has completely reshaped the school’s campus, adding a two-story academic building and multiple career-training facilities.

Other projects in the area are the medical office building for Lovelace Medical Group at Independence Square, Mountain View Elementary School Campus replacement, The Carlisle (a luxury condo complex at Carlisle and Central SE) and UNM Health Education Building Phase III.

The company has also begun expanding its footprint, opening offices in Texas and Colorado while expanding its project portfolio to include health care, office/mixed use/retail, commercial, public works, hospitality and tribal.

Today, HB’s staff has grown to 94 employees and counting, including an expanding building information department.

Chief Financial Officer Adam Harrington likes to focus on the people side of growth.

“When companies talk about growth, most like to focus on revenue or profit,” said Adam. “Our team looks at things a little differently. In 2011, we had 10 employees that worked for HB Construction. That was 10 families the company supported. Today, we now have over 94 employees. The idea of directly supporting close to 100 families and indirectly supporting the hundreds more through our subcontractors that we work with is what we think of when we talk about growth and success.”

In August, HB will relocate its headquarters to the Nob Hill area, occupying the old probation building at Richmond and Monte Vista NE, where renovations are currently underway. The company’s owners view the move as an opportunity to work in a more centrally located area. Originally built in the late 1940s for Logan Hardware Co., the building has seen many renovations/additions through the years. The 30,000-square-foot building will feature a large deck. About 5,000 square feet will be available to lease.

HB partnered with the Albuquerque Public Art Program to incorporate a mural by artist Mark Horst on the west exterior wall.

The mothballed Merillat cabinet-making plant in Los Lunas could be leasing up soon.

Two or three serious prospects are eyeing the 360,000-square-foot facility, which was purchased last summer by Albuquerque-based Rio Real Estate Investment Opportunities.

Lawrence Rael, a Rio partner, said the interested parties include a manufacturer and a distribution a company. “One of them is very serious,” said Rael of the businesses, both of which are out of state.

“However, they may not be a full user,” said Rael, adding that few companies are big enough to take over the whole facility, which he described as a well-maintained, state-of the art manufacturing facility.

Built in 2005 and closed by Taylor, Mich.-based Masco Corp., a diverse building products giant, the plant was idle and off the market until late 2014, when Masco abandoned plans to reboot it to make its Merillat line of cabinetry.

The building sits on 50 acres at 1300 Desert Willow Rd. Now called the Los Lunas Manufacturing Center, Rael said future tenants needing rail access could transload goods to the proposed Central New Mexico Rail Park, the 1,4000-acre planned business and industrial complex located on N.M. Highway 6 near the village of Los Lunas.

The developers are seeking to rezone the property in anticipation of lining up tenants for the rail-served industrial park.

Rael said leasing efforts at the former Merillat plant and the proposed industrial park will prove to be key assets in Los Lunas’ efforts to diversity the local economy.

Nusenda a new tenant

The Shops at 98th retail center north of West Central recently welcomed a Nusenda Credit Union branch as a new tenant. It is the credit union’s 18th store in New Mexico, a 2,000-square-foot business. “Nusenda Credit Union focuses on direct community impact. We strive to make a difference in our member-owners’ lives and a local branch allows members to conveniently manage their finances and get personal guidance on achieving their goals,” said Terry Laudick, CEO of Nusenda Credit Union. “We saw an opportunity to reach current members in the southwest region of Albuquerque while extending access to financial services to potential new members within the area.”

New Mexico has always been a state very supportive of (the credit union) member-owned philosophy, Laudick said of the 800,000 New Mexicans who have credit union accounts. Nusenda has 157,000 members and $1.7 billion in assets.

A 19th Nusenda branch is planned for the Innovate ABQ facility next year.

Speaking of expansion

CrossFit Petroglyph recently reopened after a move to 9101 High Assets Way NW. The newly relocated fitness business encompasses 2,600 square feet. The former shell was built out by AIC General Contractor. The listing broker was Daniel Kearney of Allen Sigmon Real Estate Group.